Drug dealers added to order-out zone

The Las Vegas City Council on Monday expanded a no-tolerance zone for known prostitutes and drug dealers, heeding pleas of a citizen's committee that recently formed to revitalize downtown.

The original zone, called an "order-out corridor," was created by a 1996 ordinance.

That ordinance allowed a prostitute to have a sentence suspended by agreeing to stay out of the downtown corridor. Those prostitutes who return to the corridor after taking the deal can be arrested.

Monday's amendments to the original order include the addition of those committing misdemeanor drug offenses to the group who may be ordered out.

The amendments also moved the northern boundary of the order-out zone from Stewart Avenue to Washington Avenue.

The zone's other boundaries include Main Street on the west, Eastern Avenue on the east and Charleston Boulevard on the south.

Widening the area was requested by the Downtown Central Development Committee (DCDC), a group of business people and residents of the downtown area who want to make their neighborhoods safer, cleaner and economically sound.

DCDC President Helena Garcia said ridding the downtown area of crime is only the first step in rebuilding the part of town where she grew up.

DCDC has created an alliance with Neighborhood Services, a city department whose goal is to help redevelop neighborhoods and business districts.

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